Read Ireland Book Reviews, July 1999

Through the Minefield by David McKittrick
This is an extraordinary account of an extraordinary time in Northern Ireland’s history. As the prize-winning Ireland correspondent of the London Independent newspaper, McKittrick has reported on the violence and political turbulence since 1986, but writes that the years 1996 to 1999 ‘show the perils of prediction, for no writer of fiction could have dared to construct a plot filled with such incident and commotion. No one could have forecast all the high spots and low points, all that hope and all that tragedy.’ Covering the rollercoaster ride of hope, despair and back to hope again as Northern Ireland inched towards a new political framework and including major events, from the IRA attack on Canary Wharf to the murder of solicitor Rosemary Nelson this distinguished collection presents the cream of McKittrick’s outstanding journalism during these watershed years.

James Joyce by Edna O’Brien
Some years ago, the critic Frank Tuohy said that while Dublin had been recreated by James Joyce, the world of Nora Barnacle had to wait for Edna O’Brien. In this new biography of Joyce his words are borne out. Edna O’Brien eschews the narrowly academic and has not truck with the superficial. Her picture of Joyce shows the complex, combative genius with his fidelity to artistic truth, virtuosity of styles and ravishing lyrical pith. But it is not simply a work of reverence, more a depiction of a man hammered by church and state and family, yet from such adversities wrote works ‘to bestir the hearts of men and angels.’ The journey begins with Joyce the arrogant youth, his lofty courtship of Nora Barnacle, their hectic sexuality, children, wanderings, debt and profligacy, and Joyce’s obsession with the city of Dublin which he would re-render through his words. Nor does O’Brien spare the reader the anger and isolation of Joyce’s later years when he felt that the world had turned its back on him, and asks how could it be otherwise for a man who knew that conflict is the source of all creation. Joyce is a hero in life and in work because for him they were inextricably bound.

A Pocketful of Stones by John EvansUSD)
Brandon Marlowe, the troubled hero of John Evan’s powerful second novel, lives his life on the edge of the dark. Intermittently catatonic, he finds the business of living harder than most. He is buoyed up, however, by love for his son Donal, his grandfather, his estranged wife and the South American prostitute Rita, who shares his bed in Frankfurt. Set in Wexford, Dublin and Frankfurt, Evans’s account of a maimed life is painful at times but ultimately cathartic as the imperfect hero struggles against a malign fate. The account of his recovery from utter dereliction towards a kind of forgiveness for old sins forms an unbearably moving climax. This novel is an unforgettable work by one of Ireland’s newest and most promising writers.

Tribe by John F. McDonald
Tribe is a novel set at the cutting-edge of Irish society at the end of the 1990s, seen through the eyes of Owen McBride a man torn between the untethered existence and the cage respectability of his girlfriend’s dreams. He is in a predicament. The old ways are being eroded and the loss he feels is extreme. As is his future. His choices are clear to return to his Traveller heritage or follow Ann along the more predictable path of settled life. The author challenges the reader to enter the mind of Own, where the colourful blend of expletives, Gaelic and Gypsy slang, French and Mongolian, reflect his inner turmoil. His distinctive style paints life in all its ugliness. There are not cushions to protect those who fall no armour to shield against discrimination and prejudice, and no easy answers to the fundamental questions. This novel grasps the reader with the rolling rhythmic patterns of Owen’s narration a vibrant testament to the dilemmas posed by modern existence and the march of progress.

The Irish Chateaux: In Search of Descendants of the Wild Swans by Renagh Holohan
This book looks back over centuries of migration between Ireland and France, beginning with the ‘flight of the earls’ in 1607 when military defeat at Kinsale and exile, initiated as tradition sustained by political and economic necessity in subsequent years. The text, lavishly illustrated by over fifty pen-and-ink drawings by Jeremy Williams, tells the stories of individual families and their chateaux, which number among the finest buildings in France. Soldiers, slavers, wine-producers, statesmen and entrepreneurs, many bear illustrious names and made lasting contributions to their host culture the O’Mahony’s and the Butlers of northern France, the Walshs of the Loire, the Hennessys of Cognac, the Bartons, Boyds and O’Byrnes of Bordeaux and Aquitaine, the MacMahons of Burgundy, the O’Neills and de Flunketts of Paris, the Dillons, MacCarthys and O’Briens of the Irish Brigades. The narrative begins and ends with Irish women memoirists: the celebrated Mme de la Tour de Pin, born Lucy Dillon; and the hitherto-unknown Lady Isabella Fitzgerald, daughter of the 2nd Duke of Leinster and niece of Lord Edward Fitzgerald. A delightful and informative guide, with map and gazetteer, it will appeal to traveller, historian, student, genealogist and Francophile alike. This new impression of a classic study contains an extended listing of chateaux and further reading.

Irish Carved Ornament by H.S. Crawford
Celtic ornamentation is remarkable for the apparent ease with which it could be adapted to embellish the stone monuments, the vellum manuscripts and the silver and fold of chalices, shrines and croziers of the early Christian period: a period that produced the world-famous masterpieces like The Book of Kells, the Ardagh Chalice and the Cross of Cong. In this classic work, Henry Crawford describes in detail the ornamentation of stone monuments of this period, reproducing in the book some 300 illustrations of this form of decoration, which had its origin in the Celtic, pre-Christian period. His photographic ‘restorations’ of badly weathered stones are unique. Although there have been enormous technological advances in photography and reproduction since it was originally published, Crawford’s work stands as a testimony to his patient dedication to creating the right natural lighting conditions to display the beauty and clarity of these precious works of art.

Soldier of Ireland by Robert Ely
In this book the author intertwines a historical account of Ireland’s ongoing struggle for independence with the story of a young Irish patriot. As the reader follows young Francie Chambers through his induction into the West Mayo Volunteers, he also follows the evolution of the Irish Republican Army at the beginning of the twentieth century. Ireland’s exciting, tempestuous history unfolds amid scenes of political intrigue and military defiance in this book.

Civil War in Connacht 1922-1923 by Nollaig O Gadhra
In this book the author draws extensively on notes compiled by the late J.J. Waldron of Tuam and places them in a national context. He gives a breakdown of the IRA command structure in 1922, and documents the events which took an inhuman and barbarous turn that autumn when the Provisional Government began a policy of ‘official executions’ by granting Emergency Powers to a three-man Army Council of the new Free State Army; even before the Irish Free State itself came into being on 6 December 1922. Some 21 men had been executed by the end of the year. Hostilities, raids and round-ups continued in the west into the following year, and the policy of reprisal executions by the new state was extended to Athlone in January 1923. The final number of ‘official executions’ was 77. This book provides a fascinating account of the tragic and complex nature of the Civil War in the West of Ireland as well as some new historical insights into the national and local political situation and a specific review of the political aftermath in County Galway.

The Irish Heritage Cookbook by Margaret M. Johnson
Always blessed with a wealth of fresh ingredients, modern Irish cooks are using those ingredients to create a sophisticated, contemporary style of cookery. Now you can sample the delicious dishes of Ireland in your own kitchen. Reflecting Ireland’s food renaissance, this cookbook offers a bountiful harvest of both traditional recipes and recent innovations. With more than 200 recipes celebrating Ireland’s natural abundance fresh produce, succulent meats, handmade cheeses, and fresh caught fish you can prepare a true Irish feast. This book invites you to enjoy the magic of Irish cooking with dishes sure to become favourites in your kitchen.

Ireland: Its Myths and Legends by Kay Retzlaff
The stories of the ancient Irish tell the tale of a vibrant and unique society, populated by courageous heroes, bold heroines, powerful goddesses, and perfect yet vulnerable kings. The epic tales and tragedies of this fascinating culture have left an indelible imprint on the Irish people, inspiring a resurgence of the Irish language, sparking the imaginations of revolutionaries, and fuelling the poetic fires of the great Irish writers. Some of the greatest tragedies in Western literature trace their roots to Irish mythology, from King Arthur to King Lear. The great Irish stories are about brave warriors and star-crossed lovers, betrayal and duty, rights and responsibilities. The heroes and villains of these myths are boastful, bawdy, and bound by duty and taboo often tragic. These multi-dimensional characters, so different from those of ancient Greece and Rome, continue to resonate in modern Irish literature. The epic stories of ancient Ireland come to life in this book. The author presents stories from each of the four cycles of ancient Ireland, detailing the legends of such valiant Irish heroes as CuChulainn and Finn mac Cumhail, and such self-assured heroines as Derdriu and Grainne. This splendid introduction to one of the most fascinating mythologies the world has known is sure to be a favourite source of both entertainment and enlightenment for the entire family.

The Keeper by Gareth O’Callghan
A fast-paced new thriller from the author of Dare to Die, this novel is set in West Cork where three teenagers steal a car and find their joyride goes horribly wrong. In Frankfurt an elderly man sets out on a significant journey. And in Dublin, a young woman prepares to search for a long-dead man who has just written her a letter and Jack Buckley, ex-detective police sergeant of Sheep’s Head on the lonely Durrus peninsula next stop America! buys a bottle of vodka and goes on a binge. Waking up beside the drowned body of his best friend, Jack finds himself in nightmare territory. He is about the become the catalyst of events whose roots reach across Europe and into the past This book is a real page-turner.

The Best of John B. Keane: Collected Humorous Writings
John B. Keane is know nationally and internationally as one of Ireland’s most popular writers. Now harvested into a single column are the hundreds of short humorous pieces which represent the distillation of the experience of funny, witty, wise and passionate observer of the bright tapestry of Irish life. Keane’s topics naturally include his lifetime love affair with his native county of Kerry. Yet even the Kingdom must give way to his fealty to his remarkable home town of Listowel. All human life is there, and he tells its story in a remarkable procession of remarkable characters and in rare humorous glimpses of his own career. There are mouth-watering disquisitions on food and paeans to drink, since Kerry people do not live by bread alone, there is much about their two other preoccupations love and words.

Brief Encounters: Meetings with Remarkable People by Bill Long
This book is an extraordinary memoir of the author’s serendipitous meetings with a host of kindred spirits, including some of the most famous writers of our time. In this collection of superbly written essays, he recounts how he crossed paths with T.H. White as a child, swapped childhood memories of Waterford with Raymond Chandler in 1960s London, shared a Kentucky Christmas with Cistercian monk Thomas Merton, drank with Nobel author John Steinbeck in his Long Island shack, and chanced upon Katherine Anne Porter in a midnight New York City snowstorm. Written with rich humour and unabashed affection for those he briefly befriended, the author describes the uncanny connections between these chance meetings, amounting to a richly entertaining and personal ‘portrait gallery’ of these remarkable people and their lives.

Irish Wake Amusements by Sean O hAilleabhain
First published in Irish in 1961 and in English in 1967, this classic work has never been superseded as a treatment of the fascinating subject of wakes in Ireland. As well as eating, drinking, smoking a pipe and taking snuff, many other forms of entertainment were common in Irish wakes, to pass the long hours of the night of two nights of the wake. These included storytelling, singing, dancing, music, card-playing, riddling and rhyming, and feats of agility and strength both inside the wake-house and in an adjourning field before the funeral started next day. The author also shows that Ireland, far from being different from other countries, was part of the general European (and world) pattern in holding prolonged and merry wakes.

Effective Consultant: How to Develop the High Performance Organisation by Paul Mooney
To many managers, the world of consultancy appears unnecessarily complex. From the other side, consultants have many questions about their role. What counts as best practice consultancy? This book seeks to answer all the key questions by evaluating a range of actual organisation development consulting projects to see ‘what works’ and ‘what doesn’t work’ in the real world. Using real cases provides a practical learning exercise of effective organisation change practices, from the perspective of both the consultant and the organisation. Through their work with a range of clients, Paul Mooney and his consultancy group, PMA Consulting, have come across literally dozens of outstanding organisation innovations. This book presents the lessons learned from this work to a wider audience. It is a highly readable, accessible book, cutting through the jargon that often surrounds the consultancy profession.

Freedom and Order: Studies in Strategic Leadership by Ivor Kenny
For the past 15 years, the author of this book, Ireland’s foremost management thinker, has worked closely with some of the top Irish companies to help them see clearly the issues facing them. This work has produced a unique set of insights: how these organisations work, what makes them successful, what the stumbling blocks are, where they are headed. It focuses on the strategic process and the problems in formulating and implementing an agreed strategy , touching on areas such as communication and knowledge management, capability, structure, culture and style. In particular, the central role of the chief executive is dissected. This book is a personal and highly readable exploration of the dynamics at work in large Irish organisations.

How to Get What You Want: Making Negotiation Work by Tom Savage
This is a lively, practical book, full of clear directions, real-life examples and reminder lists. It is the ultimate handbook for modern life and provides invaluable tips on important work-related issues such as motivating staff and providing effective feedback. It tells for the first time the story of a key negotiation in Irish political life between then Taoiseach Albert Reynolds and Tanaiste Dick Spring in Tinakilly House in 1994. Tom Savage is Ireland’s leading negotiation skills trainer.

Once a Customer, Always a Customer by Chris Daffy
A new edition of the book which has become the customer service bible for many Irish companies. Its messages are equally relevant to every employee at all levels. It is truly a motivational tool which encourages whole companies to look at the ongoing improvement of customer care in a new light. The author’s common-sense approach to customer service has helped many companies better understand the type of leadership that is needed for success in any organisation or business. His belief that Vision and Values are central to success and ongoing development of an organisation has struck a chord with many Irish companies.

Trading Qualifications for Jobs by D.F. Hannan, B. McCabe and S. McCoy
According to popular belief, the Irish education system has produced a highly skilled workforce, which has been the backbone of the 1990s boom. However, this masks a phenomenon that has been little reported on: the ‘over-education’ of the Irish youth labour market. This book examines the relationship between level of education attained and level of occupational status subsequently achieved. It asks: does an increasing level of education pay off in higher occupational attainment, or is there a high degree of overlap in the type and level of occupations taken up by those with different levels of education? Are university level graduates taking up employment in areas that were previously the reserve of those with lower qualifications? This book sets out to explore and answer these and related questions.

Ireland and the Knowledge Economy: The New Techno-Academic Paradigm by Vincent McBrierty and Raymond Kinsella
This book provides the first systematic analysis of the convergence of the higher education sector and the technology-based industry as the fulcrum of knowledge-driven economic growth. The authors a physicist and an economist describe this convergence as a paradigm shift at the heart of which is knowledge as the new form of equity. This, they argue, is the genesis of the emerging 21st century economy. The study provides a conceptually rich intellectual framework for science and technology policy and the national knowledge-base. The authors examine issues concerning intellectual property and technology transfer in detail, and also provide a critique of the financing of innovation by EU credit institutions. The central focus of the book is on the role of universities in the generation, transfer and commercialisation of the knowledge economy. The study draws on the experience of the Republic of Ireland, a prototypical small open economy and one of the most dynamic and fastest-growing in Europe, at the threshold of the third millennium. The analysis is, however, universally relevant and includes a detailed and specific set of proposals and policy recommendations.

Sources of Economic Information Ireland 2nd Edition by Renuka Page
A vast amount of economic information on Ireland is contained in a wide range of documents published by the Central Statistics Office, Government Departments, Committees, Commissions, Councils, research institutions, societies, State-sponsored bodies, international organisations, commercial and professional organisations. Many of these documents overlap, and the information contained in some is derived from information contained in others. This book is a guide to these documents.

Property Investment by Tim McDonald
The last two years have been substantial gains by property investors in Ireland. There has been a huge increase in the number of people who are either investing or contemplating investing in property. This book is a guide to investing in residential property in Ireland. It deals with all aspects including topics such as location, legislation, and taxation. It is especially relevant to those who are considering investing in property and for individuals who are currently investors in property. It deals with many issues including purchasing the property, letting out the property, and areas such as Section 23 relief are also covered. The book is both informative and addresses issues that arise every day in the area of property development.

Success Skills for Managers by Samuel A. Malone
This book is an entertaining blend of practical tips, checklists, mind maps, acronyms, mnemonics, and success stories that will help you to work better and learn more quickly. The book’s unique approach is supported by specific business management, strategic thinking, ethics and learning skills which are essential to the success of any management career. The chapters in this book are organised around the mnemonic DESCRIBED, which is the author’s model for personal success: Determination, Esteem, Strategic thinking, Communication, Rapport, Ideals, Belief, Enthusiasm, Discipline. The DESCRIBED model of personal and business excellence is a synthesis of the best available information on success drawn from psychology, neurolinguistic programming, learning principles, and contemporary business thinking. This book is an essential reference for anyone determined to make a success of their business and personal lives.

Orangeism: The Making of a Tradition by Kevin Haddick-Flynn
This book narrates the tempestuous tale of this historic movement which has been instrumental in shaping the history of Ireland for over 300 years. It is a comprehensive study of the followers of William of Orange. Originating in a tiny mediaeval principality in the south of France, the House of Orange became the upholder of the Protestant cause in Europe. William of Orange, the most famous of his line, brought with him the tradition when he instigated Britain’s ‘Glorious Revolution’ of 1688. From there began his influence in Ireland, which kindled a new Irish tradition. With full descriptions of the battles, sieges and personalities engaged in the struggle, the author even-handedly guides the reader through the events political, social and bloody that have shaped Orangeism to the present day. In this ground-breaking account the first to include information on the Orange Order’s sister organisations such as the Apprentice Boys of Derry, the Royal Black Preceptory and the Royal Arch Purple Order the Orange movement is described in vivid detail. Military campaigns and rebellions jostle with political intrigue and infighting; anti-Catholic rhetoric is matched with anti-Orange polemic; and the stage is filled with historic figures. This book is an absorbing and authoritative historical record. It delves deeper than perceptions of triumphalism and bigotry and examines the issues that led to the birth and continued growth of this unique movement. In this meticulously researched chronicle the definitive history of the Orange Order the author probes the Orange phenomenon in vivid detail, shedding light on the impact, struggles and survival of the Order throughout Ireland and beyond and brings the story of Orangeism up to the end of the twentieth century.

Faithful Tribe: An Intimate Portrait of the Loyal Institutions by Ruth Dudley Edwards
Every summer throughout Northern Ireland, tens of thousands of Protestants parade; wearing bowler hats and collarettes and carrying banners with biblical and historical scenes, they are viewed by outsiders as triumphalist bigots lording it over the minority population. However, to the members of the loyal institutions Apprentice Boys, Orange Order and Royal Black Preceptory they are merely commemorating the courage and their forefathers, proudly celebrating hard-won civil and religious freedoms, demonstrating their loyalty to God and the Crown and having an enjoyable day out with their families and friends. During the last five years, organised opposition to these parades has led to violent confrontations: hundreds of journalists and cameramen from around the world arrive at flashpoints like Derry, Drumcree and the Ormeau Road in Belfast to record the violence that could lead to civil war. And almost all outsiders blame the loyal institutions for intransigence and insensitivity in marching where they are not wanted. Noted author and historian Ruth Dudley Edwards tell their story for the first time. A veteran of dozens of parades peaceful and violent she has developed close friendships within the institutions that have given her a unique insight into what their members do and think and stand for, while her Dublin Roman Catholic background provides a critical vantage point from which to assess them. This book presents the untold account of perhaps the most controversial group of people in the United Kingdom and tell as well of their brethren and sisters abroad, from Africa to the United States. Hopelessly inept at public relations, the Ulster Protestants stay silent while their heritage and traditions are traduced around the world. In this book, the author gives them their voice. She brings us the people beneath the ceremonial regalia the farmers and labourers, businessmen and teachers, ministers and pensioners many of whom ‘speak wistfully of the days when their Roman Catholic neighbours would come out and enjoy the parade.’ She examines their history, traditions and symbolism, records their fears and their joys, and explains how their parades have so often been the symbolic background of the tribal struggles of Northern Ireland

The Banyan Tree by Christopher Nolan
‘Swallowing up her neighbour’s five fields into her own vast stretch of land was Jude Fortune’s unspoken aim, but four years had now slipped by and he r cattle had never once got a chance to graze in the field where words and wonders once twined together. Jude’s resolve was durable and year after year she suggested the actual terms to her renewing the lease, but her pumice stone had minimal effect on the wodjous woman, Mrs. Minnie O’Brien.’ In 1987, Christopher Nolan’s story of his childhood, Under the Eye of the Clock, won the Whitbread Book of the Year Award. His first novel, twelve years in the creation, confirms the promise of a writer who has been compared to Joyce and Yeats and yet is uniquely talented. Christopher Nolan’s poetic and distinctively layered prose flows into this generous tale of a spirited old woman and her struggle to hold together the five fields left to her by her husband and fiercely guarded against the day of her prodigal younger son’s return. Full of humour and unexpected imagery, the story follows Minnie O’Brien’s progress, as a young bride sipping her first and only glass of white wine in Dublin ‘the city of just about right’ and as a widowed mother discovering that the husband she loved had secrets he kept even from her. A story told without bitterness, it is as full of colour and life as the Westmeath countryside that Minnie loves.

Independent Walker’s Guide to Ireland by Frank Booth
This book is designed for people who enjoy walking and getting off the beaten track. It will allow you to see all of the great sights, enjoy the incomparable beauty of the countryside, and maintain a high level of physical fitness while travelling through the popular destinations. The guide includes practical information on 35 beautiful walks. All are planned as day hikes and are between 2 and 9 miles long. Information on each walk: how to get there, where to stay, trail distance, walking time, difficulty rating, explicit trail directions and a vivid description of the trail and local sights. Numerous itineraries: the Grand Tour which embraces all 35 walks, regional itineraries, and thematic itineraries. One planning map and 35 detailed trail maps. Easy to follow trail notes. A ‘walks at a glance’ section which provides capsule summaries of all the walks. Before-you-go helpful hints and suggestions.

Hill Walkers Atlantic Ireland by David Herman
Stretching from Donegal at the north-west corner of Ireland to West Cork at is south-west tip are ranges of mountains, unfrequented yet accessible, greatly varied in character and all within the ambience of the Atlantic Ocean. This book describes 34 one-day walking routes (with numerous mostly shorter variations) in this highly attractive mountain area. A special feature of the book is that it contains extracts from the relevant Ordnance Survey maps. This book also includes useful information on getting to and around the area, accommodation, what to wear, safety, right of way, etc.

Hill Walkers South Kerry and West Cork by David Herman
Covering the very south-west of Ireland, the mountains of South Kerry and West Cork are remote and hardly visited. Yet with rugged peaks, long sinuous valleys and towering sea-cliffs they contain some of the best mountains for walking in the entire island. Contains detailed directions for 30 hill walks in all parts of the region. Most of these are one-day walks but shorter walks are also included. Also includes useful notes on mapping, transport to and within the region, accommodation, what to carry and wear, the Beara and Sheeps Head Ways, right of way, safety, etc.

Easy Walks Near Dublin: Family Strolls with an hour of the City by Joss Lynam
This is a book for family strollers, leisure walkers, and people who life healthy exercise without exhausting themselves. Here are more than 40 walks, every one of them within easy reach of Dublin. As far as possible, the walks are circular so that you can start and finish at the same spot. Most are limited between one and two hours. The shortest lasts barely half an hour; the longest about 3 hours. In general, the standard is easy and is aimed at the leisure walkers. There are a few steep ascents and some demanding terrain for those who like a challenge, but overall these are perfect routes for strollers. The directions are clear and easy to follow, there is plenty of sound advise and tips about natural features and wildlife and it’s all with easy reach from Dublin!

Tipperary Water Guide to Ireland by Georgina Campbell
Using a unique combination of local knowledge and an experienced assessment team, this comprehensive, independently researched guide helps you to find the best places to eat, drink and stay throughout Ireland. The assessors only recommend establishments meeting the Guide’s rigorous standards. Establishments are included solely on merit. It also features an introduction to Irish cuisine including the New Irish Cuisine and a chapter on Irish Food in the 20th century by Myrtle Allen from Ballymaloe House.

Discover Derry by Brain Lacey
Derry is a city that inspires many images, often conflicting. Its beauty and unique character have long been celebrated, but its complex, bloody history has also been well-documented through the centuries. This book tells the fascinating story of Derry, in words and pictures, from the 6th century to the present day.. Part One explores the history of Derry through key events, including the founding of the Early Christian monastery, the first English invasion in 1566, the ‘siege of Derry’, the Apprentice Boys’ Rebellion, the events leading to the re-christening of the city as Londonderry and the violent conflicts and troubles of the 20th century. Part Two visits Derry’s most interesting buildings and landmarks including: the city walls, the Guildhall, the Apprentice Boys’ Memorial Hall, St Columb’s Cathedral, the Harbour Museum, the Workhouse, Magee College, and the Quayside, a great shipping port and famous point of emigration.